Spin can undo pace-fed Aussies: Herath

Date: December 22 2012

Sam Lienert

Sri Lankan spin star Rangana Herath says the Australian batsmen's liking for pace can play into his hands in the Boxing Day Test.

Herath, the world's leading Test wicket-taker this year with 60 scalps from nine matches, gave a glimpse of the damage he can cause by taking 5-95 in the second innings of his side's defeat in the first Test in Hobart.

That included the wickets of top-order batsmen David Warner and Shane Watson.

The wily left-armer suspects there might be more rewards for him at the MCG on a pitch he expects to lend assistance as the second Test wears on.

He said the rarity with which Australia's batsmen faced quality spin would help.

"Definitely. I know that the Australians, playing even in domestic cricket, they are 80-90 per cent playing against fast bowlers," Herath told reporters on Saturday.

"So with that, I have chances to get wickets bowling spin."

Herath said Sri Lanka's first Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 17 years was a "remarkable occasion" for the tourists.

But it is unlikely to overwhelm them.

They handled a comparable situation well a year ago when they beat South Africa in a Boxing Day Test in Durban.

Herath took combined figures of 9-128 on that occasion to be man of the match.

"In South Africa, (it was) the same scenario," he said.

"We lost against South Africa in the first Test and we came back strongly and we did well and we won against South Africa in that Boxing Day Test match.

"That was a remarkable one, because that's the only (Test) we have won against South Africa on their soil."

A win in Melbourne would be the visitors' first Test triumph in Australia.

Herath said experience playing one-day cricket at the MCG had him expecting the support of a very large Sri Lankan contingent in the crowd.

This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited.